Coleus plant named &#39;UF09-8-37&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘UF09-8-37’ is a new coleus plant distinguished by having consistent lance shaped orange leaves, novel and vigorous growth habit, and desirable late-flowering characteristics, as disclosed herein.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Solenostemon scutellarioides

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘UF09-8-37’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of coleus plant named ‘UF09-8-37’. ‘UF09-8-37’ originated from an open pollination conducted in May-November 2008 in Gainesville, Fla. between the female coleus plant ‘UF08-29-1’ (unpatented) and an unknown male coleus plant. The first asexual reproduction was performed in May 2009 in Gainesville, Fla. by vegetative cuttings using a single seedling (see FIG. 1 for pedigree).

‘UF09-8-37’ has been reproduced asexually for over one year through vegetative cuttings and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

‘UF09-8-37’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.

When ‘UF09-8-37’ is compared to the female parent ‘UF08-29-1’ (unpatented), ‘UF09-8-37’ has deeply lobed, lance-shaped bronze/orange leaves and has a lateral spreading plant architecture. By contrast, ‘UF08-29-1’ is an upright, non-spreading plant with bronze-orange leaves that are serrated and typical of the species.

When ‘UF09-8-37’ is compared to the commercial cultivar ‘Spitfire’ ‘UF07-24-5’ (commercial, unpatented), both plants have lance-shaped, bronze-orange foliage, but leaves of ‘UF09-8-37’ are much larger in size and have deeper, more stable orange color in both sun and shade conditions. ‘UF09-8-37’ also has a more vigorous and more spreading growth habit with more lateral branching than ‘Spitfire’ ‘UF07-24-5’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of ‘UF09-8-37’ when grown under normal horticultural practices in Gainesville, Fla. ‘UF09-8-37’ has a novel, vigorous, spreading growth habit, late season flowering, excellent heat tolerance, and consistent, lance-shaped orange leaves that are significantly different than other coleus plants. It has superior stability of foliage color in both sun and shade conditions, maintaining stable color in all conditions. It has a vigorous spreading growth habit with excellent lateral branching when grown as a stock plant, thus providing ample vegetative propagules for producers. This plant has not been observed to set a significant number of flowers in any trial to date, thus it is desirable for long-season performance in the landscape, as coleus plants that set seed usually experience late-season leaf drop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new coleus plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show the plant's form and foliage. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. FIGS. 2 and 3 were taken of 9-week-old plants grown from cuttings in 1-gallon pots during September-November 2013 in greenhouses in Gainesville, Fla.

FIG. 1—shows the pedigree of the claimed plant.

FIG. 2—shows the growth habit, form, and foliage of the claimed plant.

FIG. 3—shows a close-up of the foliage:

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of coleus variety ‘UF09-8-37’. The detailed description was obtained using 9-week-old plants from cuttings growing in a glass greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla. in late fall 2013. The plants were pinched 2 weeks after cuttings were rooted, then grown in 1-gallon pots for approximately 9 weeks. Color references are to the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2007 5th Edition.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Lamiaceae.         -   Botanical.—Solenostemon scutellarioides.         -   Common name.—Coleus.         -   Cultivar name.—‘UF09-8-37’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘UF08-29-1’.         -   Male parent.—Open-pollinated. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Spreading.         -   Habit.—Upright.         -   Height (from top of soil).—34-36 cm.         -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—48-52 cm. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cuttings.—Vegetative meristems having at least 1 node.         -   Time to initiate roots.—3-4 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—7-10 days.         -   Root habit.—Fibrous.         -   Root description.—Callus forms in 2 to 3 days, roots             initiate in 3-4 days and become a highly branched cutting in             7-10 days. -   Branches:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—6 to 7 main branches per plant with             numerous side branches, pinched once.         -   Branch color.—RHS 187A.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Pubescence.—Non-descript.         -   Stem description.—Square-shaped stem, 1.5 cm in diameter at             the soil line.         -   Branch diameter.—0.5-0.6 cm at the base of a 30-cm long             branch.         -   Branch length.—30 cm.         -   Internode length.—3-5 cm.         -   Anthocyanin.—RHS 187A. -   Leaves:     -   -   Quantity of leaves per branch.—16 to 18. Arrangement:             Opposite.         -   Fragrance.—Not fragrant.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Length.—10-12 cm.         -   Width.—5-7 cm.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acuminate.         -   Base.—Oblique.         -   Margin.—Highly lobed.         -   Leaf texture (both surfaces).—Slightly pubescent upper             surface; smooth lower surface.         -   Pubescence color (both surfaces).—Non-descript with naked             eye.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 187A Lower surface: RHS             182B.         -   Venation pattern.—Upper surface: Reticulate Lower surface:             Reticulate.         -   Color.—Immature leaf: Upper surface: RHS 172B Lower surface:             RHS N186C.         -   Color.—Mature leaf: Upper surface: RHS N172B Lower surface:             RHS N186C.         -   Petiole length.—4-5 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 187B. -   Flowers and seeds: Flowers and seeds have not been observed. -   Fruit/Seed set: Fruit/seed not observed. -   Disease and insect resistance: Disease and insect resistance is     typical of the species, thus no claims are made of any superior     disease or insect resistance with this cultivar. The most common     insect pests observed on this plant in Gainesville, Fla. have been     long-tailed or citrus mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.), which occur on     older stock plant material held in the greenhouse for over 3-4     months. Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (Bunyaviridae) has also been     observed in plants confined in greenhouses with mixed crops     (peppers) infected with Western flower thrips (Frankliniella     occidentalis). The most common pathogen of this species in the U.S.     is downy mildew (Pernonspora lamii). This pathogen has been observed     in stock materials grown closely together in cooler growing seasons. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Solenostemon scutellarioides called ‘UF09-8-37’ as shown and described herein. 